


Prisoner's Dilemma

by PurplePlatypusBear21



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Betrayal, Boiling Rock, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Love Triangle, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-07
Updated: 2017-04-01
Packaged: 2018-09-15 14:34:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 9,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9239195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurplePlatypusBear21/pseuds/PurplePlatypusBear21
Summary: In an alternate universe where Mai and Ty Lee betray Azula slightly earlier, Sokka finds the princess trapped in the Boiling Rock, barely clinging to life and sanity.  What will he do? Written for Sokkla Appreciation Day 2016.  Sokka x Azula.





	1. The Girl in the Icebox

**Author's Note:**

> Assume everything is canon up until The Boiling Rock: Part 1 and then the plot diverges. You will not see Chit Sang in this story.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While searching for Zuko amongst the Boiling Rock coolers, Sokka finds someone he wasn't expecting.

_"Where is he?"_  Sokka questioned as he tiptoed through the dank, dreary corridor. The Boiling Rock gave him the creeps. And although Water Tribe blood flowed through his veins, he found the coolers to be particularly unsettling. Nonetheless, here he was, posed as a guard, in search of the banished Fire Nation Prince.

He peered in cooler after cooler, shaking and shivering almost as much as the prisoners they contained. But one cooler in particular made his blood run cold, so much so that he had to double back to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him.  _"Was that girl naked?!"_

Peeking in, his gut wrenched at the sight. So his eyes did not deceive him.  _"How could they do something so heartless? Oh right… it's the Fire Nation."_  His instincts told him he had to do something,  _anything_ , to help her. He opened the metal door. That's when he stopped breathing.

It wasn't just any girl inside that cooler. He knew this girl. He  _loathed_  this girl. Princess Azula of the Fire Nation.

Stripped down to her breast bindings and underwear, she sat with her legs huddled to her chest. Her head rested uncomfortably on her knees with her long, black hair down and fanned around her back and shoulders, offering a meager layer of warmth. Tears were frozen to her colorless cheeks.

" _Why is she here? Who did this to her?"_ he wondered as he kneeled down cautiously in front of her. Her eyes were closed, but he speculated that she wasn't asleep. How could she sleep?

She was far past the point of shivering. Without interference, she would die.

For a moment, he considered leaving her there. He of all people knew she deserved to be locked away. But even the cruel, manipulative, sadistic Fire Nation Princess did not deserve to freeze to death. Alone. At the ripe age of fourteen. Did she?

He watched her for a moment as he deliberated. She certainly didn't look like the menacing terror he once knew. She even had an air of, dare he say, innocence about her.

Okay. That was it. He had to help her. "Azula…?"

She didn't stir.

His pulse was rushing. Surely touching her would be certain death. He gulped. "Azula, I – "

All of a sudden, she lunged forward and flung her arms around his neck.

He flinched. His life flashed before his eyes.  _"Oh, this is it!"_  He squeezed his eyes shut. But after the initial shock wore off and he realized he was still alive and breathing, he opened them to find the princess was not just  _hugging_  him, but she was nuzzling her head into the crook of his neck, trying to absorb any warmth she could.

This girl was fractured. Broken. Scared.

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "I've got you. I'm going to get you out of here."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If this sounds familiar, it's because it's based off a short drabble I wrote for Sokkla Saturdays, "Question". I had left an author's note on it saying that it was "a teaser trailer for a longer story I may or may not write". Well my friends, this is that story. I finally found the time to write it all out. I sincerely hope you'll continue to read it! Reviews are welcome.


	2. A Wrench

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sokka and Zuko are forced to reconsider their plan.

After a furtive glance around the halls to make sure he was alone, Sokka carried the freezing princess to an empty cell, placing her gently down on the flimsy, tattered mattress. "I'm going to find you a blanket," he whispered. "I'll be right back."

Whimpering, she curled into a ball, hugging her knees tightly to her chest.

Moments later, he returned with a wool blanket that he stealthily looted from the guards' cabin and wrapped it snugly around her. "You're going to be okay, Azula," he assured before turning to leave. But even he didn't believe himself. The blanket was not going to be enough. She needed body heat. Just as he reached the door, he stopped and sighed.  _"This may be a deadly mistake,"_  he thought, turning back and crawling under the wool cover with her.

She instantly turned toward him, resting her head on his racing chest and draping her arm over his shoulder, stealing his heat.

His body stiff as a board, he nervously placed his arm around her back, treating her as he would a wounded feral animal that could turn savage at any moment. He had never felt a human body so cold before. Trying to coax her to sleep, he carefully crept his hand up to her head, where he gingerly stroked her silky hair. Eventually, he felt her head grow heavy.

When he was confident that she was asleep, he slid out from beneath her to continue his search for the prince, who turned out to be only two coolers down from Azula.  _"What would have happened if I had found Zuko first?"_  he wondered, shuddering at the thought. He opened the cooler.

Zuko was bent over, sitting lotus style on the frigid metal floor. He looked like hell despite only being in there for an hour.

Playing the role of a guard, Sokka authoritatively crossed his arms. "I can take you back to your cell if you've learned your lesson."

The firebender picked his head up and exhaled a light blast of orange flames. He smirked. "Yes, I have." Unfolding his crimson prison shirt, he revealed a healthy collection of nuts and bolts, demonstrating that he had successfully disassembled the mechanics of the cooler. "Completely."

Sokka leaned his head into the icebox and lowered his voice. "It seems we have a wrench in our plan."

"Very funny," Zuko replied sardonically, assuming his friend was making a bad pun about the wrench he had just used to unhinge the cooler.

"No." His tone was uncharacteristically grave. "Your sister is here."

"What?!" he snapped with panicked amber eyes. "Then we need to get out of here! Now!"

"You don't understand… I think she's in trouble."

"What are you talking about? She  _is_  trouble."

"I… found her in a cooler. Without her armor on."

Zuko's unnerved expression changed to one of concern. "She was… naked?"

"Almost." He sighed. "Zuko… if I hadn't pulled her out of there… she would have died."

The prince was speechless for a moment. His eyes were cast downward, his breathing heavy. Sokka couldn't tell if he was going to cry, scream, light something on fire, or punch the metal box. "H-How long was she in there? Who did this to her?!"

"I don't know! She hasn't said a word to me. I'm not sure if she's even capable of speaking… she's in  _really_  bad shape."

"We need to wait another night. You  _need_  to find out what happened to her – "

"But that would mean risking Suki's freedom! All of our freedom!"

"Look, I know how Azula can be, but she's my  _sister_ , Sokka! What if it were Katara in there?!"

"That's not fair! My – "

"Someone's coming!" Zuko hissed, pulling Sokka into the cooler with him and closing the door, careful to make sure it didn't shut completely.

Warily peeping through the small opening, the boys could make out a conversation between two guards.

_"Yeah, new arrivals coming in at dawn."_

_"Anybody interesting?"_

_"Nah, just the usual. Some robbers, a couple traitors, some war prisoners…"_

Sokka turned to Zuko, his blue eyes wide with alarm.

_"…though I did hear there might be a pirate."_

_"No fooling!"_

"War prisoners," Zuko murmured. "It could be your father."

Sokka turned away and closed his eyes. "I know."

"Well… I guess  _you_  have a reason to stay the night now too."


	3. Lying by Omission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sokka gets Azula to open up. But will he believe what she has to say?

Sokka was sitting on the edge of Azula's mattress when she awoke, his hands on his lap and his head down, lost in thought.

"Water peasant," she breathed quietly.

The sound of her voice made him flinch. "It's Sokka."

"Sokka…"

It was the first time he had heard her address him by his name rather than some elitist insult. He hadn't expected it to sound so mellifluous. Not from her sharp tongue.

"You saved me…  _why_?"

"I – " he choked. He didn't have a good reason for her. This was unacceptable to her.

"What could you have possibly gained?" Her tone had harshened a bit, almost as if she were angry with him for rescuing her.

"Nothing!" He turned his upper half around to face her. "I – I just saw you there and couldn't let you die, okay?"

Her brow furrowed. She faintly shook her head. "I don't understand." The callousness in her voice had entirely abated. "I–I'm your enemy! I could kill you right now!"

"But you won't," he challenged, staring her straight in the eye.

To his surprise, she averted her gaze. Silence filled the still room.

His stern expression was washed over with solemnness and a hint of sympathy. "How long were you in there?" he asked apprehensively.

She shook her head and shrugged.

"Minutes? Hours?" More silence. " _Days?_ "

"I don't know! I don't know!" she cried.

"How did you… who did this to you?" He spoke slowly with a disquieted tone.

She didn't answer him immediately. She couldn't even look at him – she just stared down at her lap. "Mai and Ty Lee." Her voice quivered, unable to mask the pain of their betrayal.

His eyes widened with disbelief.

"They… thought I was going to kill Zuko."

"Why would they – "

"Father told me to."

"Well…  _were_  you?" He couldn't put it past her.

"No." She finally brought her eyes back up to Sokka's. "Of course not."

He could see honesty in those amber orbs. But then again, he knew how proficient she was in the art of lying.

"I was angry with him when he left. After  _everything_  I did to help restore his honor and bring him home. And… I said I would kill him – I couldn't disobey Father! I…" She paused. "I told Mai and Ty Lee that I couldn't wait to celebrate becoming an only child, but… I wasn't going to hurt him." She paused again to read his face. "You don't believe me."

"I don't know, Azula." He sighed. "If you weren't going to kill him, then why even bother tracking him here?"

"I  _didn't_  track him! The warden notified us immediately when he found out Zuko had broken into his prison, so Father sent me here to end him. But I was only going to  _talk_  to him, try to  _reason_  with him and… find out why he left me."

The way her voice trailed off at the end let him know how much her brother must have hurt her.  _"So she has feelings after all."_  He never would have guessed.

"I don't expect you to believe me," she murmured. "Mai and Ty Lee certainly didn't when I tried to explain. As soon as we got here, Ty Lee chi-blocked me and they threw me into the cooler. I could hear Mai tell the warden that I had come to  _rescue_  Zuko, that I was a traitor to my nation just like him."

"Why would the warden take her side?"

"He's her uncle."

"Oh… I don't see the resemblance."

She shot him a sideways glare.

"And then they even went as far as to take your armor…"

She shifted under the blanket with discomfort, making sure it was securely covering all of her. "My only two friends in the world… left me here to die."

It was at this point that he actually felt sorry for her. He didn't know what to do or say to comfort her.

"Mother said I had it coming." Her voice was eerily quiet.

He raised an eyebrow. "Your mother?"

"Yes, she came to visit me. Several times. Isn't that nice?"


	4. No Good Deed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko asks Sokka to take care of Azula.

He shifted his blue eyes from left to right, left to right, choosing his words prudently. "You… you know that's not possible, don't you?"

"Mother has been plotting against me since the day I was born. She's capable of doing all sorts of things. Terrible, terrible things." Her lips curled into a frown. "Everyone always tells me I'm the spitting image of my father, but Mother… she thinks I take after  _her_."

He could tell that Azula truly believed she saw her mother in the cooler. This was not an act.  _"Her mother must be some sort of manifestation of her subconscious."_  He had not been prepared to handle this level of insanity.

"She's upset with you, by the way. She told me when you went to find me a blanket."

"Now why would that be?" He figured if he played along, he could possibly pry more information from her.

"For pulling me out of there." Her amber eyes grew sullen. "She said, 'Monsters deserve to be locked up.'" Her voice faded to the softest whisper. "'And put down.'"

A shiver crept up his spine. If this truly was her subconscious speaking, then beneath all those layers of pride and haughtiness was a fragile girl with an incredibly low sense of self-worth. But scarier yet was that she didn't believe she should be given a second chance at life. Although he didn't know how to help her, a part of him wanted to fix her. And for Sokka, there was only one logical place to start. "Azula… have you had anything to eat since you've been imprisoned?"

She shook her head.

"Well, you must be starving!" His usually reserved optimistic side argued that perhaps not having had anything to eat was responsible for her hallucinations. "Let me find you some food."

"You'll…" she whispered. "You'll come back, right?"

The implication was a dagger twisting in his gut. "Yes," he urged. "I promise."

Sokka would keep his promise. But first, he had a couple of detours to make, the first of which was to Zuko's cell to give him an update. He found the firebender hunched over on his mattress with his head between his knees.

Zuko picked his head up at the sound of the door opening. "How is she?"

"Not good."

Worried lines plagued the prince's forehead.

"I mean, she's no longer freezing, and I did get her to talk, so that's an improvement, but – "

"Well then what's wrong?!" he asked impatiently.

"She's having hallucinations. Specifically of your mother."

"What?" the firebender exhaled, his eyes flickering with worry. "Can I… can I see her?"

"I don't think that's a good idea," Sokka frowned, shaking his head. "Not only is she upset with you for abandoning her, but we  _really_  don't want to draw attention to her cell."

"Good point." He took a deep breath. "Did you find out how she got in there?"

"You're not going to believe this, but Mai and Ty Lee did this to her."

His breath grew heavy with rage.

"Your father commanded Azula to kill you, and although she claims she wasn't going to, her friends thought differently. So Ty Lee chi-blocked her and Mai convinced the warden, who's her  _uncle_  by the way – "

"So I've heard."

" – to imprison her in the cooler."

Zuko began to rub his temples between his thumb and forefinger. "Actually… I can believe that." He sighed as he brainstormed ways he could help her, but he could only think of one solution. "Well, if I can't take care of her… you're going to have to in my stead."

"What else can I possibly do for her?! I freed her from the cooler, I got her a blanket, I'm going to get her some food. I'm not a psychologist – I don't know how to help her!"

" _Please_ , Sokka," he implored. "I came with you on this life-threatening mission to rescue your father, who may or may not even be coming here! I don't know how to help her either, but can you at least  _try_?"

"Fine," he caved. "I'll see what I can do. But right now, I'm going to pay Suki a little visit." He smirked.

"Seriously?! At a time like this?!"

"Relax. I'm just going to give her a status update."

The firebender huffed. "That'd better be  _all_  you're doing – "

"And maybe she'll be so grateful, she'll give me a little something in return," he grinned.

Zuko shot a fire blast at the wolf-tailed warrior's feet, causing him to jump.

"I'm just joking around! You firebenders really need to learn to  _lighten_  up." His grin grew wider. "Get it?"

He shot another fire blast, this one a tad bit stronger.

"Okay, okay, I'm leaving! Sheesh."


	5. A Relationship Built on Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For some reason unknown to Sokka, he finds himself unable to tell Suki about Azula.

Suki sprang up from her mattress at the creak of her cell door opening. "Is it go time?"

"Not exactly," Sokka muttered. "There's been a slight… _interference_  with our plan."

"And what would that be exactly?" she questioned, overly enunciating her words and making unusually intense eye contact.

He was too distracted with his own thoughts to notice her odd behavior. "Well, you see…" He shuffled his feet awkwardly.  _"Why is this so difficult? Just tell her about Azula for crying out loud. Well… maybe not the cuddling part…"_

"Sokka, you're scaring me. What's going on?"

"New arrivals are coming in tomorrow morning. Including war prisoners." He racked his brain trying to figure out why he couldn't tell her about the princess. "My dad may be one of them."

"Your dad?"

"I hope you understand."

"Of course I do!" She sounded relieved. "We  _have_  to stay and find out."

"Thank you." He pulled her in for a hug. "You're the best."

"Don't you forget it," she threatened flirtatiously before leaning in and kissing him on the lips.

He deepened the kiss, pulling her closer against him.

"You know…" she breathed, "…since we're going to stay an extra night anyway… we may as well spend it together."

"I'd, uh, like that. I really would!" he squeaked, his voice cracking a bit. "I… just don't think that would be a good idea. We can't risk getting caught." He couldn't believe he was turning down a night with Suki to try to comfort an unstable firebending prodigy.

"You're right," she sighed with disappointment before placing her hands on his shoulders and turning him to the door.

"Oh, so now you're kicking me out?" he chuckled.

"You'd better go before I change my mind and hold you hostage."

"Maybe we can try that later," he said suggestively.

She turned him back around. "Good night, Sokka."

"Good night." He gave her a quick kiss on the lips before exiting her cell and heading to the guards' cabin for some supplies. Eventually, he made his way back to Azula's cell.

"You… came back."

Her voice was soft, but he could tell she was genuinely surprised at his return. "I promised I would, didn't I?"

She didn't respond – she just regarded him warily as he stepped closer to her.

He couldn't blame her for being distrustful. Not after what her supposed friends did to her. "I brought you some food. And, uhhhh, some clothes." A tad red in the face, he set down a folded-up prison uniform, on top of which were a bowl of rice and some chopsticks, on her mattress.

She sat up, holding the blanket up to cover her chest. "Turn around."

"Huh?"

"So I can get dressed."

"Oh. Of course." He obeyed. Though somewhat funny considering he had already seen her in her underwear, he didn't find the command surprising. "Just a heads up… the food probably isn't up to your standards. The kitchen isn't serving anything at this hour, so I couldn't even get you any meat."

"It's fine." She sat back down on her mattress, her back perfectly straight and her legs crossed lotus style. "You can turn around now." Even though she was starving, she ate slowly, in a dignified manner.

He couldn't believe how refined she looked considering the hell she had just been through. "So… any visits from your mom while I was gone?"

"Yes, she stopped by for a bit."

"What did she say?"

"Not too much this time," she answered between bites. "Only that you weren't coming back. Oh, and that you're a foolish boy for helping me."

"Well, she was wrong about at least one of those things," he smiled. He could have sworn he saw the slightest lift of her cheeks. After she finished her rice, he pulled an apple out of his pocket and sat down on her mattress. "Just in case you're still hungry." He extended his arm, offering her the red fruit.

She reached for it, touching her hand to his.

Their eyes locked.

He couldn't figure out why her touch rendered him breathless.

"Wh… why are you being so nice to me?" she exhaled almost inaudibly.

"I don't know, Azula – "

"It doesn't make any sense."

"Perhaps I'm just a kind, caring,  _devastatingly handsome_ , magnanimous person," he teased.

She shot him an incredulous stare.

"You could just say 'thank you', you know."

She smiled softly. "Thank you, Sokka."

Again she spoke his name, and again he was hypnotized.

Realizing she was still touching his hand, she took the fruit from him, blushing.

He couldn't take his eyes off of her as she ate the apple. Her mouth on the red fruit. The juice on her lips. Why was his heart beating so quickly? Why was he even looking at her in this way?  _"It's because I was just kissing Suki,"_  he tried to reason.

After she was finished, she placed the core in the empty rice bowl and carried her trash to the wall by the door.

He found it amusing and endearing that even in a prison cell she would attempt to keep her room tidy. "Well, if you don't need anything else from me, I guess I should be going." He crossed to the door.

"Sokka wait." She paused. "Would you…" Another pause. "Oh, never mind."

"Azula… do you… want me to stay?" He was thankful his back was toward her so she couldn't read his panic.

She took a deep breath. "Mother doesn't seem to visit me while you're here."

"Well…" He sighed.  _"Do this for Zuko, do this for Zuko,"_  he thought to himself."Okay then." With his back still turned to her, he stripped off the outermost layer of his guard uniform.

Without saying another word, they crawled under the blanket together.

Alas he found himself, not in Suki's bed, but the firebender's. And although they were not having the kind of fun he and the Kyoshi warrior surely would have been having, he was surprised to find he was enjoying the princess's company just as much. 


	6. Weaknesses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sokka and Azula wake up to find they had grown a bit closer over night.

Upon waking up the following morning, Sokka and Azula were shocked to find themselves entwined in each other's embrace. When in the night had they started cuddling? Cheeks flushed, they immediately untangled their arms and legs and separated themselves, trying to make believe they had woken up on opposite ends of the tiny mattress.

"G-Good morning, Princess," he stuttered. "How did you, uhhh, did you sleep well?" He flashed her a sheepish grin.

"Actually yes, I slept wonderfully." Her blush deepened at the implication. "I imagine you had a good night's rest as well, considering you fell asleep almost instantly."

"It's a talent." The proud smile on his face morphed into one of playful suspicion. "Wait… if I fell asleep first, then that would mean  _you_  cuddled with  _me_."

"What?! I did no such thing!"

"There's no use denying it, Azula – "

"I can't be responsible for – "

"I can't say I'm surprised," he teased. "Ladies find me irresistible."

She rolled her eyes.

"What is it about me? My boyish charm? My impeccable sense of humor? My dazzling blue eyes?" He playfully batted his eyelashes at her.

"Will you shut up?" she laughed.

"Why don't you make me?" he asked, mockingly.

She smirked. "You asked for it." She pounced on him, covering his mouth with her hand.

He grabbed a hold of her wrist in response, trying to pry it away from him, but to no avail. She was using her body weight to pin him down. He knew she was strong, but he thought being trapped in the cooler and not having had much to eat would have weakened her a bit. Nonetheless, he was determined to win this battle. Deciding to play dirty, he took a risk and let go of her wrist, moving both of his hands to her ribcage… and proceeded to tickle her.

She tried to fight it, but she was soon overtaken by a fit of uncontrollable giggles and released her hold on his mouth.

Still tickling her, he flipped her onto her back and got on top of her. "I never imagined the fearsome Fire Nation Princess would be ticklish," he taunted, equally astounded to find how cute he found her laughter to be.

"I-I'll get you b-back for this!" she managed to get out through all the giggles. "You'll be s-sorry! You'll p-pay – "

The sound of marching feet in the hallway startled them.

Sokka turned his head to try to hear what was going on, ceasing his tickle assault on the previously squirming firebender. The only two words he could make out were the only two he needed.  _New prisoners._  He turned back toward Azula.

Their eyes widened as they realized how close their mouths were to each other's.

He looked down at her full lips and then back up to her molten amber eyes. Spirits, he wanted to kiss her. The girl beneath him. The girl who smelled like summer. But it would be wrong. So, so wrong. Not only did he already have a girlfriend, who was presently not too far away from them, but they were on opposite sides of the war. She was his enemy.  _"Oh Spirits help me."_

"Sokka," she breathed against his lips.

"I have to go," he whispered, rolling off of her. Before she could doubt herself, he decided to give her an explanation. And by telling her the truth, he was showing her that he was actively putting some trust in her. "New prisoners are arriving… and it's possible my dad's one of them."

"I see…"

"But I'll be back."

"You promise?"

"I promise." He smiled warmly at her before leaving her cell and following the other guards to the prison stronghold. In the distance, he could see eight prisoners file in line. His heart pounded more and more heavily as he approached them, their features becoming progressively clearer. And that's when he saw him. Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe. "Dad…"


	7. Father's Wisdom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hakoda gives Sokka some fatherly advice regarding Azula.

"Thank goodness you're okay," Sokka greeted as he approached his father in his cell.

Hakoda jumped up into a fighting stance, extending his right fist threateningly at the man he thought was a prison guard. "If you take one step closer, you'll see just how 'okay' I am."

"Dad, it's me," he smiled, lifting his helmet mask.

His intimidating glare fell as his blue eyes filled with tears. "Sokka, my son."

They met in the center of the cell and hugged.

Hakoda took a step back, keeping his left hand on his son's shoulder. "You know, Sokka," he chuckled. "You should be more careful with that guard outfit on. I almost punched you in the gut." He took a seat on the floor with his back flat up against the drab wall.

"Yeah, I ran into that problem earlier," he simpered, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly as he thought about his meeting with Suki when he had first arrived. Disconcerted by a noise in the hall, he took a quick peek outside, but he didn't find anything to raise alarm. "So, where's Bato?" He turned back to his father. "Where's everyone else from the invasion?"

"The others are being held at a prison near the Fire Nation Palace. They singled me out as their leader and sent me here."

Sokka sat down next to his father.

"But before I left, I met some young women who said they knew you. The… Oshinama Fighters?"

Sokka smirked. "You mean the Kyoshi Warriors?"

"That's right."

"Their leader, Suki, is here and she's gonna escape with us."

"Good," he affirmed, placing his hand on his son's shoulder. "We'll need all the help we can get." He set his hand back down on his lap.

"And you know Prince Zuko?"

"The son of the Fire Lord?" he questioned, cocking his head to the side. "I don't know him, but I know of him."

"Well, he's here too."

He crossed his arms. "Sounds like a major problem."

"Actually, he's on our side now."

Hakoda raised his eyebrow in suspicion.

"I know. I had the same reaction. After all he's done, it was hard to trust him. But he's really proven himself, and I never would've found you without his help."

He nodded his head with understanding.

"The thing is… his sister is here too."

"Princess Azula? She's changed sides as well?" he asked with disbelief.

"Not exactly…" Sokka cast his eyes down toward his feet as he gathered his thoughts. Then he began to speak a mile a minute. "Fire Lord Ozai ordered her to kill Zuko, so when she heard he was here, she came with her friends, and even though she said she wasn't going to kill him, her friends didn't believe her and ended up betraying and imprisoning her, and then Zuko asked me to take care of her, which I really didn't want to do at first, but she's not so bad once you get to know her, and somehow she convinced me to share a bed with her last night, and even though we didn't do anything, I kinda wanted to kiss her this morning, but I didn't because Suki is my girlfriend in case you didn't know that already, and I haven't quite told Suki yet that Azula is even here, and now I really don't know what to do." He stopped to catch his breath. "Help."

"That's quite the predicament, my son," he chuckled, shaking his head. "So… do you have an escape plan?"

"I do."

"And have you told the princess about this plan?"

"No, not yet. Do you think I should?" His blue eyes beckoned for answers.

"I think you need to be cautious. This is the Fire Nation Princess we're talking about – "

"But – but," he stammered. "She has hair like the night and eyes like the sun!"

"Would you still be interested in helping her escape if you didn't have feelings for her?"

"I-I don't have feelings for her! I mean, she's very beautiful, breathtaking really, but – "

"But you do." Hakoda released a disapproving sigh. "I can see it all over your face – I can hear it in your voice."

"Ughhhh," Sokka groaned with frustration as he considered his father's words.  _"Do I have feelings for her? Could I really have fallen so quickly?"_  He sunk lower against the wall. "So… you don't think I should include Azula in my plan."

"It's not a wise decision. I think you know that. But, this is ultimately  _your_  plan." He smiled and patted his downtrodden son on the back. "It's your call. I trust your judgment."

He gave Hakoda a halfhearted smile in return. "Thanks, Dad." Although his heart, head, and instincts were engaged in a heated battle, he had made his decision. He was going to get Azula off this island.


	8. Sokka's Choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a close call with the princess, Sokka comes clean to Suki.

"Think fast!" Sokka warned as he threw a mango in Azula's direction.

She caught it without difficulty and immediately took a bite. "Mmmmm."

Again, his eyes transfixed to the movements of her mouth and her tongue as she licked some juice off her lips. In his twisted train of thought, memories of their previous encounter before the Boiling Rock flooded his mind, where he had the princess pinned up against a wall during the Day of Black Sun. As he imagined having her up against a wall once again, he felt a twinge of excitement in his groin.

"Thank you," she smiled before motioning for him to sit next to her on the mattress.

"No problem," he squeaked, snapping back to reality and taking a seat. "So… any word from your mom?"

"Yes, but the more important question is… did you find your father?"

_"So she's still having hallucinations,"_  he thought, his stomach knotting. "I did."

She didn't respond, but her eyes sparkled in a way that let him know she was happy for him.

"But I really am curious to know what your mother had to say, if you don't mind."

She let out an irritated sigh. "Nothing pleasant, as usual, but if you  _really_  must know, she told me that trust is for fools and that I'm being ignorantly optimistic."

"Optimistic?"

She gave him a regretful look, worried that she had said too much.

"About what?"

Breaking eye contact, she averted her stare to the floor. "Well… I can only assume you have an escape plan…"

His heart was clanging against his ribcage so hard, he feared she could hear it.

"I thought… maybe… you'd take me with you…" She refused to look at him.

The beating of his heart only accelerated. He wasn't sure exactly what she meant by that. Could she simply mean allowing her to escape with him, or… was she considering changing sides? But his silence only made her insecure.

She released a cynical laugh. "I suppose I must be foolish, because somehow… I find myself trusting you."

His heart fluttered. "Azula," he breathed, lifting her chin to look into her eyes. "I'd love to take you with me. And I  _promise_  you I will get you out of here."

"Really?" she whispered, her eyes gleaming with hopefulness.

"Really," he assured, gently stroking her cheek. And then he found himself leaning closer to her.

She closed her eyes, mirroring his lean.

But just as their lips were about to touch, he pulled back, bringing his hand to his forehead in shame. "I... I need to go talk to Suki. You understand, right?"

She nodded, smiling meekly.

"Okay, good." He dashed for the door. "By the way, we leave tonight." And then he was out and on his way to Suki's cell. The weight on his chest was too heavy. He needed to tell her everything.

Suki was practicing some fighting moves when he entered. "Sokka, what's going on?" she asked nervously, picking up that something was off.

He placed his hand on her shoulder. "I don't have much time. If I'm seen with you the guards might think something's up." He quickly walked over to the door, peered outside to check for potential eavesdroppers, and then turned back toward her. "I just talked to my dad."

"That's great!"

"Yeah, and we're escaping tonight, in the cooler, as planned."

"Then… what makes me think you're going to tell me some bad news?"

"Well… Azula's here. I – "

"Sh-She is?!" she questioned, a little too surprised. "Uhhh… what is she doing here?"

"It's a long story, but… I found her in a cooler. Barely alive."

"I see… so, is she still in there?"

"No, obviously I pulled her out!" he hissed, raising his voice a bit.

She seemed annoyed. "No offense, Sokka, but don't you think that was a little  _rash_?"

"Are you serious?" But he could tell that she was. "No! She was going to  _die_  otherwise."

"Well, let's not forget, she  _did_  try to kill Aang – "

"You  _really_  think I should have left her in there?!"

"Okay, okay. Please calm down." She took a deep breath. "Did she… tell you anything? About how she got in there?"

He didn't understand why she was asking him so many questions when she knew their time was limited. "Mai and Ty Lee, but I don't see why – "

"And that's all she said?"

"Yes! Look, I really don't have time to give you the all the details right now, but I just need you to know that I plan to help Azula escape with us." He swallowed hard.

"WHAT?!" she bellowed. "ARE YOU CRAZY?!"

"Shhhhh!" Again, he peeked outside the door to ensure their privacy. "Suki… please try to understand. She's Zuko's little sister! He wants her to escape too."

"And what does your  _father_  think about this, hm?"

He grimaced. "He… doesn't think it's a good idea…"

"Because it's  _not_!" she snapped. "Sokka, she  _can't_  come with us. She's a devious, ruthless, evil little monster, and I don't understand why you even want to help her in the first place!"

"No, she's not!"

"Why are you  _defending_  her?!"

"Because!" He sighed with defeat. "I just feel  _bad_  for her, okay? Her friends betrayed her and left her here to die. She's… traumatized. She's having hallucinations!"

"She's  _manipulating_ you! I thought you'd be smart enough to see that!" She studied the pained look on his face. "But you don't. You…" She gasped. "You're…  _attracted_  to her, aren't you?!"

"What?!"

"Why else would you want to help her?! Spirits, Sokka! You fall for every damn pretty girl that comes your way."

"That's not – "

"I can't believe you right now. But you know what? I'm going to make things  _very_  easy for you." She got right up in his face. "It's either  _her_  or  _me_."

"What are you saying?" His chest was aching.

"If you choose to help her escape, then count me out. I'm not going."

"Suki! It doesn't have to be this way!"

"So… who's it gonna be?"


	9. When it Rains

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sokka makes his choice.

He closed the door quietly behind him, unable to bring himself to look at the raven-haired princess.

"Sokka…?"

He breathed heavily, his face pale and forlorn, ridden with uncertainty. He tried to speak but only choked on his words. What could he possibly say to her right now?

Her amber eyes welled with pain. "You're going to leave me here, aren't you?" she exhaled.

He was quiet for a moment, trying to control the tremoring of his hands. "Suki won't go if you do."

"But you  _promised_ ," she bleated, instinctively igniting two strong blue flames in her hands. But just as quickly as she had ignited them, she snuffed them out, covering her mouth with her hands to hide her quivering jaw.

He didn't need to look at her to see how shattered she was. "I know," he breathed. "I'm sorry."

She spun around to clandestinely wipe away the tears cascading down her cheeks. "It's okay, it's okay," she repeated under her breath.

But he knew she was saying this only to console herself, much like the way a cat purrs when it knows it's about to die.

"No." He took a few steps closer to her. "It's not." Another few steps. "If I had my way, we'd all be escaping together." Cautiously, he reached out and touched her shoulder.

"Don't  _touch_  me!" she wailed, swatting his hand away.

He could tell by her tone that she was more hurt than angry, and that stung him even more. "I can still help you – "

"You can't. Just  _go_."

" _Please_ , Azula!" he implored. "Let me help you come up with an escape plan."

She took a deep, labored breath. "I  _have_  an escape plan."

Her declaration took him completely off-guard. "You… you do?"

"Yes," she breathed. "So just go already.  _Please_."

"I – well… okay. Then… I guess this is goodbye."

"I guess so."

He wanted to hug her, to hold her close to him and never let go, to stroke her hair, to kiss away her tears, or at the very least get her to turn around so he could look into her eyes one last time. But no such luck. "Goodbye, Azula." He turned away from her, defeated.

"Goodbye, Sokka," she whispered.

But just as he was about to exit, he heard her speak.

"Wait." She turned around, staring at him with desolate amber eyes. She took another strained breath. "Tell Zuko… that he's going to make a great Fire Lord."

He gave her a weak smile. "Tell him yourself when you get out of here."

"I'd… rather you tell him." Her voice was softer than a whisper.

It gave him the chills. He nodded. And then he was out the door.

Her voice continued to gnaw and gnaw at him as he walked down the hall. He didn't even realize he had made it into Zuko's cell until the firebender spoke to him.

"How'd she take it?"

"Huh, what?"

"Azula!"

He just stared at the floor.

Zuko let out a snide laugh. "Well, you're still alive, so it couldn't have been  _that_  bad."

Sokka shrugged. "She  _did_  say she had an escape plan…"

"Well then there's nothing to worry about!"

He still couldn't shake his despondency.

"Azula is a highly intelligent, resourceful girl," the prince assured. "She'll be fine."

He shook his head. "This… doesn't feel right."

"I know," he sighed. "I'm not happy about it either, but what other choice do we have? We  _know_  Suki will be a useful asset in ending this war. Azula… is too much of a loose cannon."

"Yeah. You're right," he agreed halfheartedly. "Oh, before I forget, she wanted me to tell you something."

Zuko arched his eyebrows with curiosity and surprise.

"She wanted me to tell you that you'll make a great Fire Lord."

A pained look overtook his features as if he had just been struck with lightning. He clutched his chest.

"Zuko! What's wrong?!"

For a moment, he stood there panting with agony, unable to speak. "She lied."

"What do you mean?"

"Azula… doesn't have an escape plan."

"How do you know – '

"Because I  _know_  her!" He shook his head with agitation. "If she's saying this, then she has no intention of ever leaving this island."

"Are you  _sure_?"

"Positive."

Sokka let out a slow, deliberate breath. "Why would she  _lie_ about something like this?!"

"I don't know, but… I think we owe it to her to find out."


	10. Mother Knows Best

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sokka finds out Azula's escape plan.

"What's your escape plan?" he growled with rage upon barging through the door.

She was huddled in the corner of the room with her knees to her chest, rocking back and forth, sobbing and muttering to herself.

"Azula…" He couldn't stand to see her like this. This was torture. He eased his tone. "You don't have an escape plan, do you." It wasn't a question.

"YES I DO!"

The outburst made him recoil. "THEN WHAT IS IT?!"

She stood up without looking at him and began pacing about the room sporadically. " _Well_ , when the warden inevitably finds me and throws me back into that frigid hellhole… before I lose the ability to firebend… I'm going to sit myself down… and shoot lightning at the floor." She stopped walking, freezing in place. Slowly she turned to him. "You're a smart boy, Sokka. I'm sure you know what happens when lightning hits metal."

"I – " he choked. "I don't."

She sighed exasperatedly and continued her pacing. "When I was a young girl, Father had this metal safe of valuables and family secrets. But he wouldn't share them with anyone, not even me. Well obviously, this bothered me to no end. I was determined to find out what was in that box. So one day, when he was in a war meeting, I snuck into his room, grabbed the safe, and tried every random key I had collected. It wouldn't budge. I tried to physically pry it open, but it was no use. I got so frustrated that, while I was finagling with the lock, I shot lightning at it. All of a sudden, a jolt of unbearable pain rushed through my body, all the hairs on my head shot straight up, and then I fainted." Again, she ceased her desultory walk. "So… what's the point of this story?"

His blue eyes quadrupled in size.  _"No. NO. NO!"_

"Well… I'm guessing you can imagine what would happen on a much larger scale."

That's when he felt his heart completely crumble and fall to pieces. "What?" he trembled. "S-So that's it? You're just giving up?!"

"I'm out of options!" she blared, her breathing becoming more and more ragged.

"There're  _always_  other – "

"NO! I have  _no_  friends, I have  _nowhere_  to go! I – "

"What about – "

"I  _can't_  go home. I disobeyed Father – he'll be…  _displeased_."

A violent shiver coursed through his body.

"Don't you get it? My only two friends left me for  _dead_. Zuko doesn't want me! You don't want me! NO ONE wants me!"

"No Azula, that's not – "

"Sokka," she whimpered. "You should have just left me in there."

"Don't say that." What pained him the most was that she had thoroughly thought this out. Indeed, she had an escape plan. The ultimate escape.

"Oh, what does it matter anyway? Soon you'll be reunited with your friends and win the war. You'll forget all about me. All of you will."

"I could never – "

"It'll be just like I never existed. Besides… Mother says it's a good idea. She says… it's the only way I can redeem myself."

"But that's not true! I can think of another way." His blue eyes brightened.

She looked at him with a mixture of melancholy and doubt.

"You could help Aang with his firebending."

She blinked. Two tears streamed down her cheeks. "What?" she exhaled.

"If the Avatar is going to fight your father, he's going to need to learn to deal with lightning." A purpose. He was gifting her a purpose.

Tears continued to roll down her cheeks, though not as steadily as before. "Wh-What are you saying?"

"I haven't broken my promise yet." He took her by the shoulders and led her over to the mattress where he forced her to sit down, noting that she didn't resist his touch this time. "Now you stay put." He leaned down to her eye level, his face just a breath away from hers, blue eyes searing into amber. "I'm going to tell Suki that you're coming with us. I don't care what she has to say."

She smiled at him faintly. Her eyes glistened.

"Even if you decide you don't want to help Aang with his firebending, I  _will_  get you off this island," he promised wholeheartedly. "But…" He smiled. "I really hope you will." Then he darted out the door and marched to Suki's cell, his pulse flittering nervously in his throat all the while. He swallowed hard and opened the door.

"Sokka!" she greeted, throwing her arms around his neck. "Are we all ready to go?"

"Yes." He put his hands on her waist but didn't deepen their connection. "But there's one thing you need to know."

Her face fell upon hearing the somberness of his tone.

"Azula is coming with us. And that's final."

"NO!" She dropped her arms and jumped back and away from him. "You're not seriously choosing  _her_  over  _me_!"

"I'm not choosing anyone over anyone. We can all fit in the cooler. There's no need to choose, and it's unfair of you to make me!"

"I can't believe this!" she snarled. "You're going to help  _her_. The girl who had me imprisoned here in the first place! Or had  _that_  escaped your mind along with all your common sense?!"

"Suki,  _please!_  You don't understand. She's in a  _really_  bad place right now – "

"Oh, boohoo." She feigned wiping a tear from her eye. "Hey ladies, guess what!" she taunted melodramatically. "It doesn't matter how many people you torture, how many lives you destroy, how many times you lie. As long as Sokka finds you naked and vulnerable, he'll pathetically come to your rescue."

His eyes went dark, his nostrils began to flare.

"I have half a mind to strip off my own clothes and jump into a – "

"ENOUGH!" he roared.

She froze.

He spoke in a low growl. "I never told you she was naked."

Her dark blue eyes widened with panic.

"You knew she was here all this time?! You were in on this?!" he accused, spitting with fury. "What did you  _do_  to her?!"

"Oh, I'm surprised she didn't already tell you considering how  _close_  you two have become!"

"Did  _you_  take her armor?!"

"I wouldn't even be here in the first place if it weren't for her! She  _deserved_  it!"

"DID YOU TAKE HER ARMOR?!"

"Yes!" she confessed. "I… was mopping the hallway when I saw Mai and Ty Lee throw her in the cooler. Immediately after they left, I snuck in, figuring the princess was chi-blocked. And then…" She sighed with remorse. "I snapped. I… I was furious with her, for everything she put me through, for everything she put my friends through! And so I took her armor. I regretted it almost instantly, but what was I supposed to do, give it back? Anyway… I figured the problem would soon resolve itself."

He shuddered at her final words. "You're… not the girl I thought you were."

"Yeah? Well you're not the man I thought you were either – "

"It's over, Suki."

"At least you got one thing right," she snapped bitterly.

He took a deep breath. "Well… I guess I should be going. Are you… coming?"

"Wh-What?" she breathed.

"Are you coming with us or not?"

"You'd still let me in on your plan even after breaking up with me? After knowing what I did?"

"Well yeah, I mean… we're in this war together, aren't we?"

A tear dripped down her cheek. "We are… but… I'm not coming with you. I'll find my own way off this island. I'm sorry."

He nodded, his features strained with anguish, unable to understand her decision. He turned for the door.

"Sokka," she whispered. "Be well, okay?"

He gave her a listless smile. "You too, Suki."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry if you find Suki to be too unforgiving and vindictive. I know she may be a little OOC. Believe it or not, I actually like Suki as a character. I didn't include this in the story, but you can assume Suki successfully escapes a few days later by taking the warden as hostage and commandeering the gondola. Also, I'd like to emphasize that Azula isn't necessarily suicidal in this story – she's just desperate and feels that she is out of options, not to mention that her mother (in her head) is encouraging her to kill herself as a means of redemption.


	11. Into the Unknown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new escape plan is set in motion.

This time around, it was different. He knew it. She knew it. His eyes said it all.

She stood from the mattress, her amber eyes flickering with anticipation.

He briskly walked over to her and threw his arms around her slender waist, pulling her tightly against him. He couldn't help himself. He needed to hold her. To touch her.

She laced her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her, deepening their embrace.

"I told her," Sokka whispered into her ear.

"How'd it go?"

Keeping his arms around her waist, he leaned back so he could gaze into her eyes when he delivered the news. "She's not coming. We… broke up."

Azula smirked.

"You're not even going to pretend to feel sorry for me?" he laughed.

"No," she chirped, her smirk widening. "You could do better."

"Is that so?" He grinned. "Anyone in particular in mind?"

"Perhaps." She shrugged coyly. "Get me off this island and you just may find out."

"Now, now. No need to bribe me. I was going to help you anyway."

"So what you're saying is, you would  _not_  like me to reward you for your heroism?" She smirked again, this time much more mischievously.

"Well…" He gulped, getting red in the face. "I-I didn't say that."

"Well then… shall we get going?" She removed her arms from around his neck, eager to get far away from this place as soon as possible.

"Just… one quick thing." He sighed. "Why didn't you tell me about Suki? That she was the one who… you know."

"Would you have believed me?"

He paused briefly to think. "I suppose you have a point," he muttered. "Azula… can we make a deal?"

She raised an eyebrow.

"To never keep secrets from each other? To always trust each other no matter what?"

"Sokka," she whispered, breathlessly. "I don't know what to say." She smiled. " _Yes_."

"Then we have a deal." He extended his hand.

She rolled her eyes at the unnecessary gesture, but shook his hand anyway. " _Now_  are we ready to go?" she asked snidely.

"Yes, Princess." He transferred her hand into his left. "Let's get the hell out of here."

They crept out under the black night's sky, walking synchronously side-by-side with their fingers interlaced.

Zuko and Hakoda were already waiting down by the shore of the boiling lake with the cooler.

"What took you so – " the prince hissed irritably before he could make out the features of the girl holding Sokka's hand. His eyes widened, glowing like fireflies in the moonlight. "Azula!" He ran the rest of the way over to her and hugged her uncomfortably hard.

Sokka thought it unusual for Zuko to demonstrate such affection, to anyone let alone his sister, but he figured nearly losing a loved one would be enough to shake anybody's character. What was even more surprising was that Azula hugged him back.

"I… I thought you were pissed at me," he whispered into her hair.

"I was," she muttered. "I still am, but… I figured you must have encouraged Sokka in some way to take care of me – I don't think he would have done that on his own."

"I can hear you, you know," the warrior butted in.

"So, if it weren't for you," she continued, "I… probably wouldn't be here right now."

Fully understanding her double meaning, Sokka's stomach churned. "Hey, uh, I hate to cut this little reunion short, but we really need to get going."

They nodded, letting go of each other and walking closer to the shoreline.

"Where's your girlfriend?" Hakoda asked with concern and disappointment.

Azula scowled.

"She's… not coming," Sokka awkwardly explained. "We broke up."

Zuko looked at the warrior with shock. And then at Azula. And then back at Sokka. Everything clicked. "Oh for the love of the Spirits," he groaned, smacking himself in the forehead.

"I sure hope you know what you're doing, son," Hakoda said sternly.

"Hello, Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe," Azula smiled disingenuously. "It's lovely to finally make your acquaintance."

"And you as well, Princess Azula." He could immediately tell why his son was so fond of her. Beauty aside, she had gumption.  _Fire._

"Hey, can we get going?" Zuko asked impatiently, stepping a foot into the cooler.

Azula's face was suddenly stricken with horror. "W-We're escaping in  _that_?!"

"Oh yeah," Sokka murmured. "I probably should have warned you about – "

"No. No, no, no." She shook her head, stepping farther from the shoreline. "I can't go back in there. I can't. I can't." She began to hyperventilate.

Sokka and Zuko flashed each other worried glances, looking at each other for guidance.

The wolf-tailed warrior took her hands and gazed into her panicked eyes. "Yes. You can. I'll be there the whole time."

Zuko stepped out of the cooler and walked behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "We won't let anything bad happen to you. You can do this."

Shaking with fear, she slowly nodded. "Okay," she trembled. "Let's go."

Hakoda stepped in first, followed by Zuko, who reached for Azula's hand to help her in.

She looked back at Sokka for support.

He nodded with assurance.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Then she took Zuko's hand and stepped into the makeshift canoe.

Sokka pushed the cooler out into the water and quickly hopped in, immediately wrapping his arms around the princess and pulling her close to him, such that she was sitting between his legs. He could feel her racing heartbeat and her heavy breaths. "Don't worry. I've got you," he mollified.

"Azula," Zuko whispered, thinking it wise to try and distract her from her anxiety. "What are you going to do when we're out of here?"

"I'm…" She looked back at Sokka and smiled warmly. "I'm going to help the Avatar learn how to defeat a lightningbender."

He stared at his sister with astonishment.

Sokka hugged her even tighter. "I knew you'd make the right choice."

Zuko took her hand. "I'm proud of you, sis."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have one chapter left for you! If you've enjoyed what you've read so far, please consider giving me kudos, a bookmark, or a review. It would really mean so much to me! And to those of you who already have, thank you, thank you, thank you. Your support encourages me to keep on writing. 


	12. Imperfectly Aligned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sokka sneaks out of his tent to have some alone time with Azula.

Considering it was the middle of the night, the four weren't surprised to find the rest of the group sound asleep when they made it back to the campsite following their arduous journey, which involved scaling the inside of volcano, commandeering a Fire Nation cruiser, and walking until their feet were bloody and blistered. Deciding not to wake them, they quickly and quietly set up their tents and headed in for the night. Well… almost all of them.

Sokka snuck out of the tent he was sharing with his father and began to tiptoe over to Azula's. With only one thought in his mind, he didn't notice the firebender leaning not-so-inconspicuously against a tree on his way. That is, not until he felt someone grab the back of his shirt collar and yank him back.

"Where do you think you're going?" Zuko scorned.

"Oh, hey Zuko!" He gulped, blushing with embarrassment. "Well you see, I was just about to go to sleep, but then I saw a spider in my tent, so I just thought I'd – "

"Sokka…"

He grinned self-consciously, raising his shoulders to his ears.

"Just…" The prince let out an irritated grunt. "Be good to her, okay?"

"I will," he promised, straightening up.

"You'd better be," he warned semi-facetiously. "Or else I'll have to kill you."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. I'm an older brother too – "

"And Spirits help you if I ever see or hear you two..." Unable to finish that sentence, he shuddered melodramatically. "I'm going to bed."

"Hey." Without warning, he pulled Zuko in for a big bear hug.

"Uhhhh…"

"Thank you."

"Yeah… don't mention it." He patted Sokka on the back a few times, clearly uncomfortable with the hug. "Actually… thank you too." As soon as he was released, he shuffled his feet back to his side of the campsite.

The warrior lifted the flap of Azula's tent.

"Sokka!" she gasped, pretending to jolt awake. "What are you doing here?"

"Don't act so surprised," he teased.

She smirked, lifting her blanket as an invitation for him to join her.

He greedily accepted, crawling under the cover and cozying up next to her.

"So what gave you the impression I'd like company tonight?" she asked coyly.

"Oh, just had a hunch." He grinned. "And I figured I'd do you a favor since you seem to sleep  _so_  well next to me – "

She cut him off by putting her finger to his lips.

His heart nearly stopped.

"Hey Sokka," she whispered. "Do you… have any regrets?"

"About…?"

"Suki?  _Me_?"

"No! Not at all! Azula…" He sighed. "Maybe this is naïve, maybe it's too soon, but right now… I feel like… everything is exactly the way it's supposed to be."

"Me too," she breathed, locking eyes with him.

His heart pounding, he leaned in.

She leaned in closer and closed her eyes.

Sparks flew as he finally pressed his lips to hers, longingly and ardently. How could a kiss so tender and fleeting leave them both completely breathless like this?

He brushed her hair back behind her ear. "I've wanted to do that to you for so long."

"What, a whole day?" she taunted playfully.

"I… I can't believe it's only been a day." He laughed. "It feels like forever ago."

* * *

_Ten years later…_

"He looks exactly like you," Azula smiled, beaming down at the little bundle in her arms.

Sokka's heart leapt, his stomach somersaulting and flipping with joy, as he leaned over his wife cradling their newborn son. "He… he really does," he exhaled. "But he has your eyes."

"Yes," she agreed, smiling proudly. "I have no doubt he'll be a firebender."

"A firebender," he repeated with disbelief, laughing and shaking his head. "Can I hold him?"

"Why, of course." Delicately, she handed the newborn over to him.

A tear streamed down his face. Rendered completely speechless, he gazed at the incredible mother of his child, who, even in a state of severe fatigue and with her hair matted with sweat, couldn't possibly be more stunning, and back at the baby. Cradling the newborn in his arms, all he could think was how he couldn't wait to tell his son the story of how he fell in love with the most beautiful woman in the most unexpected of places.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your taking the time out of your busy life to read my story. I am so thankful for each and every one of you. For more Sokkla, please check out my compilation of short Sokkla Saturday stories, "Blue Eyes, Blue Fire".


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